Abstract
This paper will detail how Bayesian epistemology, traditionally a tool of philosophers of science, can be used to select a method of communication that is most likely to produce a desired communication goal from a targeted subject. Using the frame of Bayes’ Theorem in the form of Posterior Probability Ratios, it will show how a communicator, focusing on agency and awareness, can use said frame to deliberately and purposefully select an evidentially favored communication strategy, intended to elicit a certain response from the respondent. By translating the epistemic version of Bayes’ Theorem into a communication setting, this strategy presents an alternative method to use when navigating typical social interactions that would be useful for those who have trouble grasping traditional communication dynamics. Furthermore, the paper explains how this strategy is easy and natural to use because the human brain has evolved in such a way that it remembers and weights relevant occurrences for any given situation, which can then act as data for the comparative ratios.
Recommended Citation
Clevenger, Danielle
(2017)
"The Science of Communication: A Bayesian Account of Communication Strategy Selection,"
Acta Cogitata: An Undergraduate Journal in Philosophy: Vol. 4, Article 2.
Available at:
https://commons.emich.edu/ac/vol4/iss1/2